An ultrasound imaging system provides useful information about the interior characteristics of an object under examination. An example ultrasound imaging system has included an ultrasound probe with a transducer array and a console. The ultrasound probe houses the transducer array, which includes one or more transducer elements. The console includes a display monitor and a user interface.
The transducer array transmits an ultrasound signal into a field of view and receives echoes produced in response to the signal interacting with structure therein. The received echoes are processed, generating images of the scanned structure. The images can be visually presented through the display monitor. Depending on the configuration of the ultrasound imaging apparatus, the images can be two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D) and/or four-dimensional (4D).
An ultrasound imaging system equipped for 3D and/or 4D imaging has been either semi-mechanical or has included a 2D matrix of elements. A semi-mechanical ultrasound imaging system has included an electromechanical drive system that converts rotational motion of a motor into translational, rotational and/or wobbling movement of the ultrasound transducer array. Unfortunately, this approach requires additional hardware, which can increase cost and the footprint.
An ultrasound imaging system with a 2D matrix of elements includes a larger number of elements, interconnects to each of the elements and corresponding channels for the elements in the console, relative to a configuration with a 1D, 1.5D or 1.75D array of transducer elements. Unfortunately, a 2D matrix of elements increases cost, routing complexity, and processing requirements, relative to a configuration without a 1D, 1.5D or 1.75D array of transducer elements.